Going Negative is Always a Bad Idea
When you’re running comms, the temptation to go negative is real for clients in any arena. Competition exists for NGOs, small businesses, corporate, etc.
The reminder I always give clients is the following, once you open that box you have guaranteed 2 things:
Trust with your audience evaporates
It ensures mutually assured destruction
Here’s why:
Trust = built on brand
Brand = reputation to customers
The customers you want are people who value what you bring to the world.
Negativity feels good in the short term. But in the long game, it forms cracks in your foundation. You pay in ways you can’t imagine 15yr from now.
Going negative is your attempt at burning someone else’s building down. You will get burnt, it’s just a question of how bad.
No one trusts or respects arsonists. So you’re guaranteeing a negative return on brand.
What to do?
Always, always, always take the high road.
It’s frustrating, slow, and doesn’t yield quick results. But you don’t sell your soul to tearing down someone who is ultimately your neighbor.
If we want a better world, it includes how we communicate with one another.
Perhaps most important, don’t deny your feelings of frustration in a political race, small business competition, or corporate battle royales.
Instead, vent those feelings to a trusted party and remain in control of how you show up.
Restraint & self discipline are ROI+.
